May 1966 lunar eclipse

{{Infobox lunar eclipse

| type = penumbral

| image = Lunar eclipse chart close-1966May04.png

| caption = The Moon's hourly motion shown right to left

| date = May 4, 1966

| gamma = 1.0554

| magnitude = −0.0727

| saros_ser = 111

| saros_no = 64 of 71

| penumbral = 245 minutes, 57 seconds

| p1 = 19:08:27

| greatest = 21:11:29

| p4 = 23:14:24

| previous = December 1965

| next = October 1966

}}

A penumbral lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Wednesday, May 4, 1966,{{cite web|title=May 4–5, 1966 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/1966-may-4|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=2 January 2025}} with an umbral magnitude of −0.0727. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened. A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when part or all of the Moon's near side passes into the Earth's penumbra. Unlike a solar eclipse, which can only be viewed from a relatively small area of the world, a lunar eclipse may be viewed from anywhere on the night side of Earth. Occurring about 2.75 days after perigee (on May 1, 1966, at 15:20 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.{{cite web|title=Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/moon/distance.html?year=1966&n=136|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=2 January 2025}}

Visibility

The eclipse was completely visible over Africa, Europe, the western half of Asia, and Antarctica, seen rising over South America and the Atlantic Ocean and setting over east Asia and Australia.{{cite web|title=Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 1966 May 04|url=https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEplot/LEplot1951/LE1966May04N.pdf|publisher=NASA|access-date=2 January 2025}}

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Eclipse details

Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular lunar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.{{cite web|title=Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 1966 May 04|url=https://eclipsewise.com/lunar/LEprime/1901-2000/LE1966May04Nprime.html|publisher=EclipseWise.com|access-date=2 January 2025}}

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|+May 4, 1966 Lunar Eclipse Parameters

! Parameter

! Value

Penumbral Magnitude

| 0.91576

Umbral Magnitude

| −0.07272

Gamma

| 1.05536

Sun Right Ascension

| 02h45m54.8s

Sun Declination

| +16°01'34.2"

Sun Semi-Diameter

| 15'51.5"

Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax

| 08.7"

Moon Right Ascension

| 14h47m34.9s

Moon Declination

| -15°04'18.1"

Moon Semi-Diameter

| 16'02.6"

Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax

| 0°58'52.9"

ΔT

| 36.8 s

Eclipse season

This eclipse is part of an eclipse season, a period, roughly every six months, when eclipses occur. Only two (or occasionally three) eclipse seasons occur each year, and each season lasts about 35 days and repeats just short of six months (173 days) later; thus two full eclipse seasons always occur each year. Either two or three eclipses happen each eclipse season. In the sequence below, each eclipse is separated by a fortnight.

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|+ Eclipse season of May 1966

! May 4
Descending node (full moon)
!! May 20
Ascending node (new moon)

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| Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 111

Annular solar eclipse
Solar Saros 137

Related eclipses

= Eclipses in 1966 =

A penumbral lunar eclipse on May 4.
An annular solar eclipse on May 20.
A penumbral lunar eclipse on October 29.
A total solar eclipse on November 12.

= Metonic =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of July 17, 1962
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 21, 1970

= Tzolkinex =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 24, 1959
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of June 15, 1973

= Half-Saros =

Preceded by: Solar eclipse of April 30, 1957
Followed by: Solar eclipse of May 11, 1975

= Tritos =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 5, 1955
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 4, 1977

= Lunar Saros 111 =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 23, 1948
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of May 15, 1984

= Inex =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 25, 1937
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 15, 1995

= Triad =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of July 3, 1879
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 4, 2053

= Lunar eclipses of 1966–1969 =

= Metonic series =

= Saros 111 =

= Tritos series =

= Inex series =

= Half-Saros cycle =

A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros This lunar eclipse is related to two solar eclipses of Solar Saros 118.

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